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Entrepreneur Jason Hope Talks About His Predictions about the Internet of Things

One of the biggest technological trends today is the growth of the Internet of Things, the embedding of the Internet in objects and the built environment. The first predictions about these possibilities came about in the 1980s and 90s. In fact, Bill Gates hinted at many of these possibilities in his book,The Road Ahead. Now, however, the IoT is no longer simply speculation, as wearable devices and smart buildings and homes are increasingly a staple of everyday life.

Entrepreneur and futurist Jason Hope believes that the IoT is poised to spread from the public sector into the private sector. His view is that as the IoT becomes more prominent in people’s daily lives, the vague term “Internet of Things” will likely be replaced with a more readily intelligible name. Hope also argues that, as a result, one industry that will soon undergo a revolution is the hospitality sector. Hope reasons that as the IoT becomes ubiquitous in people’s homes, they will begin to demand the same amenities in hotels and resorts. As basic IoT connectivity, such as interfacing devices with climate control becomes increasingly standard, patrons will expect these capabilities when on vacation as well. In addition, hotels will be able to use IoT to provide customized room service and using facial recognition to enhance security.

Another major trend that Hope points out is printed electronics. Printed electronics is a technology that allows for sensors to be printed onto film. One emerging application of this technique is smart labels, which famed distillery Johnnie Walker has already used on its blue-label whiskey brand, the first commercially smart-labeled product. This technology will allow for smart phone connectivity with consumer products that companies will use to interact with their customers directly.